SOURCE RESEARCH
Optical Line Systems (OLS)
Market Data | 2Q 2026 | MD-OLS-101
Get The ReportThe Open Line System (OLS) market emerged in the mid-2010s to unshackle the previously locked-in optical Dense Wavelength Division Multiplex (DWDM) market, driven by the relentless development of hyperscalers like Microsoft and Facebook. Since then, the OLS market has become a staple technology for hyperscalers and can be used for smaller deployments, including neoclouds and Tier Two and Tier Three hyperscalers.
In North America, ABI Research forecasts the total number of OLS activations to increase from just under 2,000 in 2026 to nearly 13,000 by 2035. The bulk of OLS activations are of 100 MW+ capacity.
